Document 7R3wLbGyJeyDga22RK0rr7gMB

Following a meeting in Chicago in 1941 with Mr. W. E. Crocombe, Kr. Morris Trainer, Mr. Donald Cummings, and Dr. Hamlin, the American Brake Shoe Co, established the present Medical Department. A modest start was made at Chicago Heights where office space was furnished by the American Ijanganese Steel Division. The department then consisted of a Medical Director, Industrial hygiene Engineer, an X-Ray and Laboratory Technician, and one secretary. The department was included in the Beadquarters Division of the Brake Shoe Co. under the direct supervision of Mr. Arthur Aigeltinger. His sympathetic and generous cooperation did mu'h toward getting the program initiated. A review of the situation indicated the need for setting up Standard pre employment and periodic health examinations throughout the many plants and also the desirability of instituting a modern program of plant hygiene which not only would . discover health hazards in the plants but would offer adequate and practical reoommeadations for their correction. The department has developed very rapidly and results have justified expansion of the program to its present extent. A pre-employment physical examination is given to people applying for work at all our plants. It is hot for the purpose of keeping men who may have physical defedts'from getting a job but rather to determine if these 'defects will permit them to work with safety to themselves and their fellow workers. Often, unsuspected illnesses are discovered -- about which the applicant knows nothing -- and he is then able to get proper treatment before it is too late. `One of the most important features of the examination is the chest x-ray. Since the program started there have been numerous instances where tuberculosis has been discovered in persons who never had the slightest idea they had it. It is well known that this disease -oan 1 . - - be preseat, even in well advanced stages, without showing any symptoms or signs and . very often it cannot be detected by the doctor on physical examination* V.re have been able to render a considerable number of applicants for work this valuable service so that they have been able to seek immediate treatment before the disease progressed too far. In addition to the ^replacement examination, periodic health, surveys are carried out as a service to Brake Shoe employees* The examination is complete and confidential. It includes a chest x-ray and blood and urine tests, and the employees are told of ttie results of the examinations 30 they can take steps to have defects corrected. Ho employee is ever discharged because of any findings brought to light through the examination. He may be advised to accept other work in the plant in the interests of his health and in the event something is found which requires immediate attention, every effort is made to assist him in getting the best medical care. Jill pre-employment and survey examinations and x-rays for the entire Brake Shoe Co. are checked and filed in the Medical Department in Chicago. Advice is given not only to management concerning the placement of workers but frequently to employees themselves. A follow-up file is kept to recheck those employees whose films have shown suspected disease by repeated chest x-rays or examinations every three or six months, or as often as seems indicated* In this way any increase in activity of infection can be noted and brought to the employees' attention and suspected cases can be followed until it is decided that the disease is healed or inactive. The Medical Department notifies the plan- when recheck x-rays are due and the service is carried out at company expense. At the employees' request the Medioal Department cooperates with personal physicians in furnishing any helpful information which may assist in treating the case. Employees are told if they have high blood pressures, hernias, poor teeth, defective vision, heart trouble, deafness, tuberculosis, diabetes, or any other ooudition. They are advised to go to their doctors at once for treatment. -2- For carrying out x-ray surveys'at the plants, a mobile x-ray machine has been used which takes full sised chest films. This instrument has been designed to fit in three carrying cases so that it can be transported in a station wagon and set up in the plant. A large number of surveys, approximately 45, have been completed in this manner with much saving in time and inconvenience to the plants. 31ood tests and examinations of urine are made at the time the doctor visits the plants to do the physical examinations. Early in the program it was evident that nurses in the plants would be a most valuable and desirable addition where the number of employees justified their employment. Starting out with one nurse, Miss Mathews at our largest plant in Chicago Heights, Brake Shoe now has nurses in the following locations; American Brakeblok Division - Detroit American Forge Division - Upset Drop . American ISanganese Steel - Chicago Heights Denver Los Angeles New Castle St. Louis 3rake Shoe A Castings Engineered Castings Kellogg , National Bearing Ramapo'Ajax Southern Wheel - Baltimore Chicago Denver Mahwah Melrose Park Meadowlands Toledo -Rochester - Rochester - Meadville St. Louis - Chicago E. St. Louis Los Angeles - Rochester Toledo -3- The nurses have amply demonstrated their worth and have earned the respect and esteem they now - command. Their duties are many and varied and the fact that those plant superintendents who have employed nurses wonder how they ever managed without them is good evidence that the nursing program has been a success. Besides handling first aid injuries and maintaining the first aid room, the nurse works with the plant management under a mutually satisfactory arrangement as to her exact duties. "How" these duties are carried out is a function of the Medical Department which supervises the program. Nurses usually handle pre-employ ment examination procedures, see that the men are sent to the doctor, and then help the personnel department in seeing that they are properly placed. The nurse arranges to get men to and from the doctor's office with a minimum of lost time and follows through on .11 recommendations made from the Medical Department. She checks on absenteeism, makes home visits to assist employees when they are ill, arranges for hospital admissions, and serves as a go-between for management and emplcyee in natters affecting health. She arranges appointments for special examinations, attends safety meetings, takes care of goggle programs, besides making daily inspection tours through sne plant. She cooperates with local heal th and social welfare agencies as well taking an active part in plant meetings and social get-togethers. She listens sympathetically to individual complaints and difficulties of workers whether these are associated with work or not. The present staff of the Medical Department is as follows t L. E. Earalin, M. D. - Medical Director Mr * Herbert J. Weber - Industrial Hygiene Engineer Mr. Henry J. Gotmer - Assistant Industrial Hygiene Engineer Mr. Richard Walters - Assistant in Charge of X-Ray Department - Miss Geraldine. Balster - Chemist Mr. Tom Burke - Pile Clerk Miss Nina Pellicci -- Secretary Mrs. Charlotte Balsevicis -- Secretary Mr. Walter A. Hamlin - Laboratory Assistant Industrial Hygiene In addition to the foregoing activities the department maintains close association with other scientific bodies such as the American Industrial Hygiene ' ... -4- SPtMOPOQ ' Foundation, National Tuberculosis Association, Saranac Laboratory, and Public Sea'. Departments. Experimental work is being carried on for the study of dusts and fur to protect the health of Brake Shoe workers. Scientific papers have been presente at numerous industrial health meetings and published in journals not only in this country but in the Latin American countries. The department has been consulted on numerous occasions by other associations and industries with regard to instituting health programs, analytical procedures, etc. The department also consults with plants on health cases, medical services and any other problems associated with Industrial health and hygiene.